On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 2:57 AM, Thaths <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Ethiopian, judging from the number of desis I see in restaurants > serving this cusine in the US, would be well received, though the > dosa-bred southies will wonder what was so great about Ethiopian food. > > In my experience, desis either love Ethiopian food, or hate it. I haven't come across desis who are so-so about it. I remember an occasion when my parents, two uncles, brother and sister-in-law went out for Ethiopian food in DC -- the occasion we refer to in my family as the Ethiopian food debacle. My parents and one uncle hated it, so much so that we had to stop at the Indian restaurant a couple of doors down afterwards; the other uncle, my brother and sister-in-law and I loved it. I happen to live within blocks of several very good Ethipian restaurants in DC -- in an area that some have tried to rename "Little Ethiopia" -- but have not been able to convince my parents to go back and try it again.
My theory is that Ethiopian food is similar enough to Indian food -- the spices are very similar, with them having imported many of their spices from us back in the day, according to a former colleague who is Eritrean -- that desis either appreciate the similarities or are turned off by the food that tastes like Indian food but isn't, sort of a "this would be much better if it were made more like the dish I'm familiar with and love" reaction ....
